Lifespan Development - Video Lecture Flashcards (Vocabulary Style)

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from the video lecture, including IV/DV, research designs, prenatal and brain development, Piaget and Freud theories, language development, attachment, parenting, ecological systems, major theorists, and Baltes' life-span perspective.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable deliberately manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The outcome measure that is observed and recorded to assess the effect of the IV.

Control Group

The group not receiving the experimental manipulation, used as a baseline for comparison.

Descriptive Research

Research that describes characteristics of a population or phenomenon without inferring causation.

Survey

A descriptive data collection method using questionnaires or interviews to gather information.

Correlational Research

A design that examines relationships between variables but does not establish causation.

Experimental Research

A method that manipulates the IV to determine causal effects on the DV.

Cross-Sectional Design

Research that compares different age groups at one point in time.

Longitudinal Design

Research that follows the same individuals over an extended period.

Zygote

Fertilized egg cell during the first two weeks of prenatal development.

Embryo

Prenatal stage from about the 2nd to the 8th week of development.

Fetus

Prenatal stage from the 8th week to birth.

Placenta

Organ that nourishes the developing fetus and facilitates nutrient and waste exchange.

Neural Tube

Early embryonic structure that becomes the brain and spinal cord.

Ectoderm/Mesoderm/Endoderm

Three primary germ layers formed early in development; give rise to all organs and tissues.

Neurons

Brain cells that form, migrate, and connect to create neural networks.

Synapses

Connections between neurons through which they communicate.

Pruning

Process of trimming away unused neural connections to refine brain circuitry.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer layer of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions.

Hindbrain / Midbrain

Primitive brain regions involved in basic life functions and early development.

Frontal Cortex

Part of the brain involved in planning, decision making, and control of behavior.

Myelin

Fatty sheath that insulates axons to speed up neural transmission.

Corpus Callosum

Large bundle of fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Prenatal Brain Development

Brain development before birth, including neuron formation, migration, synapse formation, and early pruning.

Puberty

Period of rapid hormonal change marking the onset of adolescence.

Menarche

First menstrual period in females.

Oral Stage

Freud's first psychosexual stage (birth to 1 year); erogenous zone is the mouth.

Anal Stage

Freud's second psychosexual stage (1–3 years); erogenous zone is bowels and bladder.

Phallic Stage

Freud's third psychosexual stage (3–6 years); erogenous zone is the genitals.

Latent Stage

Freud's fourth psychosexual stage (6 years to puberty); libido is dormant.

Genital Stage

Freud's final psychosexual stage (puberty onward); mature sexual interests.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's stage from birth to about 2 years; development of object permanence and basic motor actions.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's stage from about 2 to 7 years; language development and egocentrism.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's stage from about 7 to 11 years; logical thinking about concrete objects and conservation.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's stage from about 12 years onward; abstract and hypothetical reasoning.

Postformal Thought

Adult cognitive development involving moral reasoning and handling complexity and ambiguity.

Infant-Directed Speech (IDS)

High-pitched, simple, repetitive speech used by caregivers to interact with infants.

Cooing

Early vowel-like sounds produced by infants around 3 months.

Babbling

Vocalizations combining syllables (6–11 months) that resemble speech.

Telegraphic Speech

Two-word or short phrases used by toddlers, omitting nonessential words.

Statistical Learning

Infants' ability to detect patterns and word boundaries through probabilistic cues.

Critical Period

A developmental window when acquisition of certain skills is easiest and most likely; language ends around puberty.

Attachment

Emotional bond between child and caregiver, shaping future relationships; involves internal working models.

Strange Situation

A laboratory procedure by Mary Ainsworth to assess attachment styles.

Secure Attachment

Attachment style characterized by comfort with closeness and trust in relationships.

Avoidant Attachment

Attachment style marked by discomfort with closeness and dependence on others.

Ambivalent (Resistant) Attachment

Attachment style with anxiety about abandonment and difficulty with closeness.

Disorganized Attachment

Inconsistent or chaotic attachment behavior often linked to unresolved issues.

Adult Romantic Attachment

Patterns of closeness and dependence in adult romantic relationships (secure, avoidant, anxious-ambivalent).

Baumrind Parenting Styles

Four styles defined by warmth and control: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and indifferent/uninvolved.

Authoritative Parenting

High warmth with reasonable, consistent control; associated with positive child outcomes.

Authoritarian Parenting

Low warmth with high control; often linked to obedience but potential negative self-esteem outcomes.

Permissive Parenting

High warmth with low control; tends to produce impulsive behavior in children.

Indifferent/Uninvolved Parenting

Low warmth and low control; often linked to poorer development outcomes.

Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner framework describing nested environmental systems influencing development.

Microsystem

Immediate environments (family, school, peers) that directly affect a person.

Mesosystem

Connections between microsystems (e.g., family-school interactions).

Exosystem

External settings that influence development indirectly (e.g., parents' workplace).

Macrosystem

Cultural and societal norms and values shaping development.

Chronosystem

Temporal dimension of the ecological model, including life events and transitions over time.

Erikson Trust vs Mistrust

First psychosocial stage (0–18 months); balance of trust in caregiver and mistrust.

Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt

Second stage (1–3 years); developing independence and self-restraint.

Initiative vs Guilt

Third stage (3–6 years); taking initiative and feeling purposeful or guilt.

Industry vs Inferiority

Fourth stage (6–12 years); developing competence vs feelings of inferiority.

Identity vs Role Confusion

Fifth stage (12–18 years); forming a coherent sense of self.

Intimacy vs Isolation

Sixth stage (18–40 years); forming close relationships vs social isolation.

Generativity vs Stagnation

Seventh stage (40–65 years); contributing to the next generation vs stagnation.

Integrity vs Despair

Eighth stage (65+); reflecting on life with a sense of fulfillment or regret.

Paul Baltes Life-Span Perspective

View of development as multi-directional, plastic, contextual, and influenced by time and nurture.